Adjustments
by ALC Punk
Summary: Lee Adama shares a conversation with Karl Agathon after the events in The Woman King.


Disclaimer: Not mine.  
Rating: 13, language Pairings referenced: Dee/Lee, Sharon/Karl, Kara/Karl, Kara/Lee, Kara/Anders Characters: Lee Adama, Karl Agathon Genre: gen, post-ep Set: post-Woman King, contains spoilers.  
Length: 1,000 Notes: Technically tangentially inspired by the ShAgathon, but as it answers the other prompt (without porn)... I don't think I've used this title before. 

**_Adjustments_** by ALC Punk!

Lee's heard the story from half a dozen places, including from his wife, who laughed a little, even though something in her eyes told him she was uncertain, even now. He held her a little tight that night, and almost made them both late for their duty shifts in the morning with sex.

When he thinks about where he was, and how little he could have done, he feels a little cold.

Of course, Doc Cottle says Dee was fine, that she was probably never in any danger. But then, none of them know how Doc Roberts slipped so far. And Lee doesn't exactly have faith that things always work out right in the end.

So it seems only right to track down the one person who tried to save her. Even if he's not really on intimate speaking terms with the man. Lee tends to think Karl Agathon is a stupid idiot for marrying a toaster. Although, he's got admit the man's loyal, he's still frakking stupid for putting his life on the line like that.

Tracking him down takes a little time, and Lee finally finds him just outside the nursery--it's makeshift, but it's what they've got, and at least five of the children belong to Lee's pilots. When they'd settled on New Caprica, they'd really settled. He's grateful to have them back in their cockpits, but it's still worrying to know that he's sending out people with families to die. Of course, his father sends him out. In the end, everyone's got someone.

Hera's laughing up at one of the older children, both of them playing with some random toy that was scrounged. Lee takes a look at Agathon and stays silent until he finally shifts, "Captain." He's awkward and formal, but he's not sure how to go about this.

Lee thinks that's kind of funny, really.

"Sir."

"I wanted to thank you." Lee finally looks at the man, meets his gaze. He's not sure he likes what he sees there, but he's willing to let it pass. "If Dr. Roberts had really..." But he's not going to finish it. He might not believe in the Gods, but tempting fate is a bad idea.

Helo doesn't pretend to misunderstand, "Just doing my job, sir."

And the rest of them hadn't been. Lee winces, because the man is right: if they'd been doing their jobs, this wouldn't have gotten as far as it had. Dee would never have been in danger. But because it was Helo, the Cylon-lover, who postulated the theory, they'd all thought he was wrong. "I know, and I'm thanking you anyway."

There's a pause, while Captain Agathon studies him for a moment, then his gaze turns away, back towards the children, "Have you ever wanted kids, sir?"

"Ah..." Caught a little flat-footed, Lee fumbles, but recovers, because he knows the answer, "I would." It's the one fantasy he never shared with Kara, and has only hinted at, with Anastasia. Children. He's not exactly sure how he'll raise them--better than his own father, he's always promised himself. And Dee is certainly not his mother.

"You'll find, sir," Helo says, tone almost amused, "that children change your perspective. Certain things stop mattering."

Like racial divides, Lee guesses. The Cylons tried to annihilate them, but Helo cares more for his wife and child than for revenge. Lee suddenly feels a little cheap, with his anger and prejudice. But it's not something he can leave behind. Not without losing some of his edge in the cockpit, some of the impetus to keep fighting the Cylons. And the hate is an old friend he doesn't want to give up yet. "I'll keep that in mind."

A laugh escapes Agathon, and he says, tone almost amused, "If you and Dualla repopulate the fleet, Starbuck's going to mock you forever."

Lee snorts, "Yeah, well, don't be too sure she won't be helping."

"No." The laughter is gone, and Helo looks at him, eyes serious, "The day Kara says she's going to have children is the day I ask her if she's a Cylon. Sam might want 'em, but Kara never will."

But Lee remembers Kara standing with a little blonde girl in her arms, a glimpse from across the hanger before the crowd had moved to obscure her. He'd just been happy she was alive, he'd never asked about the girl. He wonders if Helo might be wrong. "Yeah, probably not. Still, can you imagine the trouble her children would be?"

"Don't have to: I've seen the trouble Kara is."

There, Lee has to agree. He considers a small Kara, and decides, rather suddenly, that it's a good thing Kara doesn't want children. Galactica might not survive the onslaught.

And suddenly, it's not exactly awkward anymore--Lee still thinks it is, a little, but they share something in common: they both love Kara Thrace. "Yeah. Suddenly, I'm not so sure a new generation is such a good idea." Lee says, tone amused.

Helo laughs, then pats him on the shoulder, "Tell me that again in fifty years, sir."

"I will," Lee promises. He nods at Hera, "She's cute." And he should go. His mind is already filling with the paperwork he hasn't finished yet.

"For a Cylon?" There's slight rancor in Agathon's tone.

"No. For a kid, Captain." Lee shrugs, "I'm obviously not the best judge, of course. I find tarantulas cute, too."

"Somehow, that makes me feel so much better, sir." There might be sarcasm in Helo's voice.

Lee lets it go, "I've got work to get back to. You take care of her--" He pauses, remembers the adrenaline and panic in his dreams, and amends, "--both of them."

"Yeah. Yeah, I will."

And that's it. Lee can't decide as he walks away whether this was a good idea or not. He just knows that he had to thank the man who put himself on the line for his wife. And he feels a little strange knowing that, if it came down to it, he might put his own life on the line for Agathon's.

-f-


End file.
